Republic of Latvia
Cabinet
Regulation No. 514
Adopted 26 November 2002
Procedures for Circulation and Certification of Organically Produced Agricultural Products
Issued pursuant to Section 13.1, Paragraph one, Clause 1 of the Law
On Agriculture
I. General Provisions
1. These Regulations prescribe:
1.1. procedures for the circulation of organically produced agricultural products, i.e., procedures for production, storage, processing, labelling and sale of agricultural products and animal husbandry (except fishery) products; and
1.2. procedures for the approval and certification of organically produced agricultural products.
2. Persons involved in the circulation of organically produced agricultural products who produce, store, process, label and sell organically produced agricultural products (hereinafter – persons) shall ensure the certification of agricultural products in conformity with the requirements of these Regulations throughout the undertaking or in a part thereof.
3. If organically produced agricultural products are not certified throughout the undertaking, the person shall ensure separation of the certified section and the organically produced products from conventionally produced products. Separation of a part of an undertaking shall be certified by accounting documents.
4. Genetically modified organisms or products obtained (derived) from them, except veterinary medicinal products, shall not be used in the production and processing of organically produced agricultural products.
5. Substances and products the use of which does not conform to the requirements of these Regulations shall not be stored in the undertaking, except allopathic medicinal products and antibiotics, if the requirements specified in Clause33.1.3. have been complied with.
II. Requirements for Production of Organic Agricultural Products
6. An agricultural product is an organically produced agricultural product if it conforms to the following requirements:
6.1. within a time period which is not less than the time period specified in Paragraph 7 of these Regulations, only the following products for soil-conditioning (substances for improvement of natural fertility of soil) and plant protection have been utilised:
6.1.1. products produced in conformity with the requirements of these Regulations;
6.1.2. microbiological preparations and organic products for plant protection; and
6.1.3. soil-conditioning products specified in Annex 1 of these Regulations, plant protection products and other substances specified in Annex 2 of these Regulations;
6.2. within a time period which is not less than the time period specified in Paragraph 7 of these Regulations, only seeds, planting stock and propagating material grown in accordance with these Regulations (hereinafter – propagating material) or conventional propagating material conforming to the requirements of Paragraph 11 of these Regulations shall be utilised; and
6.3. conformity thereof to the requirements of an organically produced agricultural product is certified by an organic farming certificate which had been issued by a certification authority in conformity with certification procedures specified in Chapter IX of these Regulations.
7. In order to ensure the organic production of agricultural products and products of agricultural origin, the following transition periods have been determined:
7.1. for annual crops, meadow and grassland plants – two years; and
7.2. perennial crops – three years before harvesting (except meadow and grassland plants).
8. If the product after the transition period specified in Paragraph 7 does not conform to the requirements of an organically produced farming product, the certification authority shall issue the transition period certificate again.
9. The quantity of fertiliser, which is incorporated for soil conditioning, may not exceed 170 kg of nitrogen per year on each hectare of land utilised in agriculture.
10. The propagating material or maternal plant thereof (fruit trees, berry bushes and vines) for the production of organic agricultural products in accordance with these Regulations shall be grown:
10.1. for one vegetation period – annual crops;
10.2. for two vegetation periods – perennial crops.
11. If organically produced propagating material of a specific variety is not available, the Food and Veterinary Service (hereinafter – Service) may in accordance with an application for the receipt of an organic farming permit (Annex 3) issue a permit regarding the utilisation of non-treated conventional propagating material in conformity with the Law On the Supervision of the Handling of Food if the material:
11.1. after sowing has been treated only with the substances specified in Clause6.1 of these Regulations; and
11.2. after planting has been grown for not less than six weeks in conformity with requirements of these Regulations.
12. If a person owns both an organic farm (or a part thereof) and an undertaking (or a part thereof) in which conventional farming products are produced:
12.1. the same crops which are grown in the undertaking in which conventional farming products are produced shall not be grown in the organic farm, except:
12.1.1. crops for scientific research;
12.1.2. seeds, vegetative propagating material and plants of fruit trees; and
12.1.3. perennial crops (fruit trees, berry bushes and hops);
12.2. the separation of organically produced products from conventionally produced products shall be ensured;
12.3. the person shall inform the certification authority regarding the period of crop harvesting not later than 48 hours before harvesting of each organically produced crop; and
12.4. after harvesting the person shall inform the certification authority regarding the quantity of products obtained.
13. For the growing of organically produced mushrooms only such substrates shall be utilised which include the following components:
13.1. manure and other products of agricultural origin produced in accordance with these Regulations;
13.2. pesticide-free turf;
13.3. wood which is not chemically treated after felling;
13.4. water and soil; and
13.5. products referred to in Paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 4 of Annex 1 of these Regulations if they form 25% of the mushroom growing substrate mass.
III. Requirements for Organic Livestock Production
14. A livestock product is an organically produced agricultural product if it conforms to the following requirements:
14.1. during a time period that is not less than the time period specified in Paragraph 15 of these Regulations:
14.1.1. livestock have been fed with fodder produced in accordance with these Regulations;
14.1.2. only forage crops specified in Annex 4 of these Regulations have been utilised in animal feeding;
14.1.3. only the fodder additives and products to be utilised for the preparation of fodder specified in Annex 5 of these Regulations have been utilised in animal feeding;
14.1.4. only products specified in Annex 6 of these Regulations have been used for the cleaning and disinfection of animal housing;
14.1.5. the number of animals in a farm conforms to the requirements specified in Annex 7 of these Regulations regarding the maximum number of animals per hectare; and
14.1.6. the minimum animal housing and exercise areas shall conform to the requirements specified in Annex 8 of these Regulations; and
14.2. conformity thereof to the requirements of an organically produced agricultural product has been certified by an organic farming certificate which shall be issued by a certification authority in conformity with certification procedures specified in Section IX of these Regulations.
15. In order to ensure the organic production of livestock products and products of animal origin, the following transition periods have been determined:
15.1. for beef cattle – twelve months, but they shall be reared in conformity with requirements of these Regulations for not less than three-quarters of their lifetime;
15.2. for pigs, rabbits and small ruminants (for example, sheep and goats) - six months;
15.3. for dairy cattle – six months;
15.4. for fattening poultry – ten weeks if they have been transported into the farm before they are three days old; and
15.5. for laying birds – six weeks.
16. Organically reared herbivores shall be provided with a daily ration the dry matter content of which is at least 60% of roughage, fresh or dried fodder or silage. In compliance with the Law On the Supervision of the Handling of Food the Service may issue a permit for the reduction of the referred to quantity to 50% for dairy livestock of early lactation in accordance with an application for the receipt of an organic farming permit (Annex 3), but for not more than for three months.
17. Forced feeding of organically reared animals is not permitted.
18. All organically reared mammals shall be fed with natural milk (preferably – maternal milk) not less than:
18.1. until the age of three months – bovine animals and equidae;
18.2. 45 days – sheep and goats; and
18.3. 40 days – pigs.
19. Up to 30% of fodder obtained in the transition period may be utilised in the feed ration of organically reared animals. If the fodder obtained in the transition period is produced in the own holding, this ratio may be increased up to 60%.
20. If organically grown fodder is not available, the Service in accordance with an application for the receipt of an organic farming permit (Annex 3) and in conformity with the Law On the Supervision of the Handling of Food may issue a permit for the utilisation of conventional feed:
20.1. if only fodder products specified in Annex 4 of these Regulations have been utilised in livestock feeding; and
20.2. if the part of conventional feed (physical mass of dry matter) in the total feed ration per one year does not exceed:
20.2.1. for herbivores – 10%; and
20.2.2. for other species – 20%.
21. The feed ration containing at least 65% of cereals shall be provided for organically bred poultry in the fattening period.
22. Antibiotics, coccidiostates, veterinary medicinal products, growth promoters and any other substances provided for the promotion of growth and productivity shall not be utilised in feeding of organically reared animals.
23. Farming animals shall be purchased:
23.1. from undertakings which have obtained a certificate of organic farming; and
23.2. from conventional farms if in accordance with an application for receipt of an organic farming permit (Annex 3) the permit from the Service has been received in compliance with the transition period and a condition that at the moment of purchase:
23.2.1. laying birds are not older than 18 weeks;
23.2.2. chicks of fattening poultry are not older than three days;
23.2.3. calves and foals are not older than six months;
23.2.4. sheep and goats are not older than 45 days; and
23.2.5. the weight of piglets is not more than 25 kg.
24. If the whole undertaking is reorganised in conformity with requirements of these Regulations, the transition period shall be 24 months provided that fodder obtained in this undertaking is utilised for the feeding of livestock.
25. Conventional livestock may be present in an organic farm if:
25.1. they are animals of various species;
25.2. buildings and areas utilised for rearing of conventional livestock are separated from the organically certified section of the undertaking; and
25.3. accounting documents of the undertaking certify the separation of such animals and products thereof from organic livestock products.
26. Conventional livestock may utilise pasturage, which conforms to the requirements of these Regulations if:
26.1. they are extensively reared animals (their number does not exceed 1.8 animals per hectare); and
26.2. organically reared animals are not present in such pasturage at the same time.
27. If it is not possible to acquire organically reared animals, the Service may in accordance with an application for the receipt of an organic farming permit (Annex 3) issue a permit to acquire animals from a conventional agricultural undertaking if the following conditions have been complied with:
27.1. not more than 10% of adult horses or bovine animals, and 20% of pigs, sheep and goats (non-pregnant female animals) shall be acquired per year except the cases specified in Paragraphs 28 and 29 of these Regulations; and
27.2. after acquisition male breeding animals shall be reared and fed in accordance with these Regulations;
28. If there are less than 10 horses or bovine animals or less than five pigs, sheep or goats in an organic farm, the Service may in accordance with an application for receipt of an organic farming permit (Annex 3) issue a permit to acquire one animal per year in each group of animals from a conventional farm.
29. In accordance with an application for the receipt of an organic farming permit (Annex 3) the Service may issue a permit to acquire up to 40% of adult horses or bovine animals, pigs, sheep and goats (non-pregnant female animals) per year from a conventional farm if the following is performed:
29.1. extension of a livestock undertaking;
29.2. change of variety; and
29.3. change of animal husbandry specialisation.
30. Organically reared animals shall be multiplied naturally and artificially except the transplantation of embryos.
31. Organically reared animals shall be transported in accordance with regulatory enactments regarding the transportation of animals determining that it is prohibited to use:
31.1. an electric baton; and
31.2. tranquillising products.
32. In an organic farm the information specified in regulatory enactments regarding the registration of animals and herds shall be available, as well as the following additional information:
32.1. the date when the transition period for livestock taken in the farm expires;
32.2. the weight of livestock intended for slaughter;
32.3. the fodder utilised for the feeding of livestock, including fodder additives, rations and the period of utilisation of pasturage; and
32.4. prophylactic measures for diseases, treatment and veterinary care (date of treatment, diagnosis, type of product (medicinal products) used, the duration of treatment and the veterinarian’s instructions, the withdrawal period or the time period for excretion of the medicinal product from the organism)
33. For the treatment of organically reared animals the following shall be used:
33.1. such veterinary medicinal products:
33.1.1. phytotherapeutic and homeopathic products;
33.1.2. substances and products specified in Annex 4 of these Regulations; and
33.1.3. allopathic veterinary medicinal products and antibiotics (notifying the certification authority in writing thereof); and
33.2. hormones.
34. If allopathic veterinary medicinal products are used for the treatment of livestock, the withdrawal period or the time period for the excretion of the medicinal product from the organism specified in regulatory enactments on usage of medicinal products for productive animals shall be extended twice. If the withdrawal period has not been provided for in regulatory enactments, in organic farming it shall be 48 hours.